Doomed Confessionary: Sandra, Geoffrey, Dom, Samuel & Mike (Hølls)
Photo credit: Schlak Productions
Hølls is a post-metal quintet hailing from Besançon, France.
The band was formed in 2023 and they got the final line-up last September. Hølls began to play their first shows in 2024 and recorded their first album in May 2024 at Disvlar Studio. The album is going to be released next winter. Their main influences are The Ocean, Cult Of Luna and Amenra just to name a few. The female singer is really a strong part of the band’s identity and they love to mix heavy guitar riff with atmospheric moments.
Hølls are Sandra Chatelain (vocals), Geoffrey Martinazzo (guitars, backing vocals), Mickaël “Dom” Pergaud (guitars), Samuel Dubail (bass) and Michaël “Mike” Guarné (drums).
Can you say a few words about your band?
Geoffrey: We’re a French post-metal band composed of five members: a female singer, two guitarists, a bass player and a drummer. We all love ambient metal and throughout our songs, we mix atmospheric passages with more violent and heavy ones.
Mike: Exactly! We definitely want our music to be aerial, eerie but also oppressive.
What was the biggest challenge for the band?
Geoffrey: To create a high-quality first album (at least we hope so!) and to be able to propose this beautiful project live.
Sandra: To spread the word about our music outside our region and abroad. Also, to play live and share the stage with other bands.
What can you be most proud of so far?
Geoffrey: To have found playmates being on the same wavelength and to work together on this musical project.
Sandra: The great osmosis that enables us to create together.
Mike: To have arranged together all the great guitar ideas Dom came along. I think we did great ! And to have recorded our first album. It really was a collective effort and I want to thank Steph at Disvlar Studio for his great artistic advice. I can’t wait for people to discover it ! On a personal level, I’m really proud of my daughter. It’s a privilege to see her going from childhood to adulthood and becoming a lovely human being.
Photo credit: Webec
What was your biggest regret?
Geoffrey: To not have the courage to surpass myself sometimes and to face some challenges.
Dom: To have started playing guitar at 19 years old and not before.
Sandra: To have been too preoccupied by other people’s view of me.
Mike: To not have met Sandra, Dom, Geoffrey and Samuel – the guys of the band – earlier 😀
What was the best concert/tour so far and why?
Geoffrey: The show we did at the Antonnoir in our city Besançon. People didn’t know us and they were truly receptive. There was great communion with the audience!
Sandra: The one we did at Les Passagers du Zinc in Besançon with French screamo band Eux. This place means a lot to me and I really felt comfortable to sing.
What was the biggest surprise on the music scene for you?
Geoffrey: The show Amenra did in Lausanne some years ago. The atmosphere was both heavy and melancholic, a masterpiece!
Mike: The first time I saw Baroness performing in our city. It was in a small venue called “The Cousty” (before it was called “l’Antonnoir”) and you could literally feel the energy in the air. It was such a privilege to see them in such a small venue. I’m looking forward to seeing them again in France later this year!
Sandra: Heilung at the Sylak in Lyon. It was a musical and spiritual journey. I felt all sorts of emotions that night.
Dom: The Ocean Collective – I loved every album and live show I was able to see. Their songs are so amazing!
Photo credit: Webec
What is currently in your heavy musical rotation?
Geoffrey: »The Dry Land«, the last Huntsmen album. It’s absolutely incredible.
Mike: I keep listening the new Huntsmen album as well and right now, I keep listening over and over again »Ridiculous & Full Of Blood«, the new album by Julie Christmas, and »Dragging Bodies To The Fall«, the excellent post-metal album released by French combo Junon earlier this year.
Dom: I’m also listening to the last Julie Christmas album, which is really fantastic, and I have a playlist of old rock classics tunes that I play along when I go to some flea markets on Sundays.
Sandra: Chelsea Wolfe, to cheer me up and protect myself from the blackness of our world.
Samuel: Right now, I keep listening to different albums by Gojira, Korn and Parkway Drive.
What was the best advice you’ve ever been given as a musician?
Sandra: Trust yourself (thanks Steph ♥)!
Dom: To enjoy myself while playing and to do what I like only.
Geoffrey: Work hard on your instrument because you’re not going to be better by snapping your fingers. And do not forget to enjoy every moment with your friends and loved ones.
Mike: Keep practicing your instrument. There’s always something to learn and to discover. Also, try to listen to all sorts of drummers and kinds of music.
What are your guilty pleasures?
Geoffrey: The French movie »L’Arnacoeur« with the actor Romain Duris, which has good romantic vibes.
Mike: German power metal (the kind of metal Sandra can’t stand for ten seconds 😀 ) with bands like Gamma Ray, Helloween, Blind Guardian, Running Wild, etc. It brings me back to my childhood everytime I listen to these bands.
Dom: The singer Katy Perry and watching all types of Christmas movies.
Photo credit: Webec
Can you say something more about the music scene in Besançon / France?
Geoffrey: Here in Besançon and the east of France, we have a lot of metal bands in different sub-genres. It goes from the dark neo folk band Askemåne to the Death cover trio Ritual.
Mike: Exactly, we have a lot of excellent rock & metal bands in the area such as Alta Rossa, Fallen Lillies, Jack & The Bearded Fishermen, Horskh, Pan and Blend Of Stones just to name a few of them.
Dom: I agree. Our local scene is very talented and many associations work hard to promote it. That’s why we have to support the small venues by going to the shows everytime we can.
Where can we see you live this year (concerts/tours)?
Geoffrey: This summer we’re going to play at “La Guerre du Son” festival (this year, the headlines are Korpiklaani, Imparfait and Crisix) on July the 12th, we can’t wait to share the stage with our friends from Torve!
What are your plans for the future as a band?
Geoffrey: To release our first album during the upcoming winter and to play live as much as we can.
Mike: We’re also searching for a label right now to help us release our album. We’ll see if some sort of deal can be made with one of them.
How can people best support your band?
Hølls: By following us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Bandcamp. You can buy some t-shirts (and the album in the future) online on our Bandcamp page but the best way to support us is to come to our shows if you can.
Do you have any message for your listeners?
Hølls: Support your local bands and we hope to see you live soon!
Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well